Flying J Farm named finalist for green, sustainable food award

Tuesday

May 7, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 14, 2013 at 8:35 PM

Flying J Farm in Johnstown has been named a finalist for a People & Planet Award by green economy organization Green America. The public is being asked to vote for three winners from the organization's slate of 10 finalists by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31. Flying J Farm and nine other businesses were chosen for their green practices and commitment to a sustainable food system.

Flying J Farm in Johnstown has been named a finalist for a People & Planet Award by green economy organization Green America.

The public is being asked to vote for three winners from the organization's slate of 10 finalists by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31. Each of the three winners, to be announced in early June, will receive $5,000.

Flying J Farm and nine other businesses were chosen by a panel of Green America judges for their green practices and commitment to a sustainable food system. The organization started giving its quarterly People & Planet Awards last June. The awards recognize businesses that have environmental and social values at the core of their operating strategies.

Owner Richard Jensen raises grass-fed beef on chemical-free pastures at his Licking County farm "because it is healthier for human consumption than conventionally raised beef," he said at his website. Flying J also offers tours and special events, such as mushroom hunts, and serves as a conference and retreat center.

"I feel especially good about being the only finalist from Ohio, both because there are so many good green people here, but also because the emphasis is on sustainable, healthy food," Jensen said in an email. "That has been the mission of my farm from the beginning. It is an honor to be a finalist, but even better to win."

Highlights of Flying Jís sustainability efforts include an outdoor wood furnace, solar thermal water heater, 11-kilowatt solar electric system, and biodiesel fuel made from waste oil and used in most tractors, Green America said.

Photo courtesy of Flying J Farm

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.